www.Longfei-Taiji.co.uk	Longfei Taijiquan Association of Great Britain
		Longfei Newsletter Volume 8 Issue 1

The methods of Da Lu or the Four Corners

My intellectual and philosophical understanding of Da Lu is limited, although I spent many hours practising it in the ITTCCA and later with Master Wang's early push hands workshops. I have always considered it to be an advanced form of pushing hands format, dealing with the four corners as Tui Shou (push hands) deals with the four directions (Peng, Lu, Ji, An). Da Lu certainly has an emphasis on both the shoulder and the elbow strikes (Kao and Zhou). In the ITTCA we referred to it as "big pull" (Da Lu). Those of you familiar with the 42 Competition Routine may recall that two movements from Da Lu have been incorporated in the forms:

Form 32 Mabu Kao (lean in horse stance)

Form 33 Zhuanshen Dalu (turn the body with large rollback),

Pages 248-250 of Professor Li's book makes references to these forms originating from Yang style taiji push hands and wide rollback, and are composed of such techniques as Kao, Zhou, Lie, Cai, (bump with the body "back or shoulder", "elbow strike", "split", "pull down"). Together with Peng, Lu Ji, An they form what are sometimes known as the "Eight Gates of Taijiquan" and are directed in the form to points of the compass - the directions south, north, west, east, (Peng: ward off; Lu: roll back; Ji: press; An: push). The directions southeast, northeast, southwest, northwest, (Zhou: elbow; Lie: split; Cai: pull down; Kao: shoulder strike).

The importance of understanding these functions cannot be overstated as all the forms of the Yang style routine incorporate one of these eight principles. The simplest example being the "Fair Lady Moves the Shuttles", where the forward arm is performing Peng (ward off) the other arm/hand is performing An (push).

As you can see it is very easy to become trapped in Chinese semantics when the first priority should be to understand the movements and their application. All will be revealed if you take the Da Lu option at the summer camp.

Richard Watson

Longfei Newsletter Volume 8 Issue 1 Table of Contents